Top QBs Duggan, Bagent Vie to Boost NFL Draft Stock at Senior Bowl

TCU's Max Duggan and Shepherd's Tyson Bagent aim to impress scouts in Mobile ahead of April's NFL Draft.

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:04pm

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A fractured, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic movements and competitive energy of a football game, with the players and field broken down into sharp, angular geometric shapes in the team's official colors.Senior Bowl quarterbacks vie to impress NFL scouts with their skills and leadership in a high-stakes audition.Mobile Today

Quarterbacks Max Duggan of TCU and Tyson Bagent of Shepherd University are among the top prospects participating in this week's Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, as they look to improve their NFL draft stock ahead of the April draft. Both players had standout college careers that ended in disappointment, and they're now hoping to prove to scouts that they can play at the highest level.

Why it matters

The Senior Bowl is a crucial event for NFL draft prospects, as it allows them to showcase their skills in front of scouts and coaches from all 32 NFL teams. A strong performance can significantly boost a player's draft stock, potentially earning them a higher selection. For Duggan and Bagent, the Senior Bowl represents an opportunity to demonstrate their abilities against top competition and solidify their place in the upcoming draft.

The details

Duggan, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, is looking to bounce back from a lopsided loss to Georgia in the national championship game with TCU. Bagent, the Division II Harlon Hill Trophy winner, is aiming to prove he can compete against FBS-level talent after his Shepherd team fell short in the playoffs. They'll be joined by other quarterback prospects like Clayton Tune of Houston, Malik Cunningham of Louisville, and Jaren Hall of BYU, all vying to improve their draft stock in Mobile.

  • The Senior Bowl will take place on Saturday, January 28, 2026 in Mobile, Alabama.
  • Duggan and Bagent will be participating in the week-long practices and events leading up to the game.

The players

Max Duggan

The former TCU quarterback, who finished second in the 2022 Heisman Trophy voting, is looking to bounce back from a disappointing end to his college career and improve his NFL draft stock.

Tyson Bagent

The record-setting quarterback from Division II Shepherd University is aiming to prove he can compete against top-level talent and boost his draft position.

Jim Nagy

The executive director of the Senior Bowl, who has compared Duggan to recent late-round NFL draft picks like Brock Purdy and Desmond Ridder.

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What they’re saying

“I know when I got into scouting, we used to value experience a ton at quarterback. And guys that lifted programs. That's why I loved Desmond Ridder so much last year because Desmond really lifted that entire Cincinnati program. Max has played a ton of football so anyone that's going back and doing a Purdy study, they're going to look at Max and see he started 40-whatever career games, that can certainly help him.”

— Jim Nagy, Senior Bowl Executive Director

“I knew that because I played at a small school, in order to check a lot of the boxes that a lot of the scouts had for me, being able to come here and play against top talent and show that I'm right where I'm supposed to be is huge in this process for me.”

— Tyson Bagent, Quarterback, Shepherd University

“Competition is what we all thrive on. Off the field, it's whatever, we chop it up and we're buddies, we get to know each other. And then we step across the lines and it's just full go.”

— Jaren Hall, Quarterback, BYU

What’s next

The quarterbacks will continue to participate in practices and meetings with NFL teams throughout the week, leading up to the Senior Bowl game on Saturday, January 28, 2026.

The takeaway

The Senior Bowl provides a crucial platform for quarterbacks like Duggan and Bagent to showcase their skills and prove they can compete at the NFL level. A strong performance in Mobile could significantly boost their draft stock and open up new opportunities, making this a pivotal moment in their professional journeys.